Quebec's GPs get a raise

Quebec's budget for general practitioners' will increase by 9% over 4 years (retroactive to 1998), with annual increases similar to those given the province's public servants. Dr. Renald Dutil, president of the Fédération des médecins omnipraticiens du Québec (FMOQ), says the agreement-in-principle, announced in May, provides higher fees for the most difficult activities performed by family doctors.

Budget increases for 1999 and 2000 will go to physicians practising in what the FMOQ has identified as priority areas: emergency room care, care of hospitalized patients, obstetrical care, services in various long-term-care facilities, geriatric care and mental health services provided in private offices and clinics. Next year's increase will be earmarked for medical practices run out of private offices, which account for 65% of earnings by Quebec GPs. The province's 6500 general practitioners currently earn an average of $150 000 annually, with net earnings of about $99 000.

Significantly, the agreement eliminates $150 million in overpayments that the government had wanted physicians to repay. The government agreed that these overruns were due to inadequate funding.

In addition, the agreement sets aside $8 million to entice general practitioners to stay in remote and isolated areas for more than 3 years, $3 million for continuing medical education allowances and $12.3 million to adjust pay scales for doctors working on fixed salaries.

The province also reached a 4-year agreement-in-principle with the province's specialists. Key parts of this agreement are aimed at attracting and retaining specialists in remote and isolated areas, and making provisions for new specialties, such as medical genetics and emergency medicine. A Ministry of Health spokesperson said the overall budget for specialists is being increased by $105 million (9%) over 4 years.